Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Joel Robinson

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

&nbsp;

Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

Abadeen has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for one of Mosman's largest apartment developments in recent years, seeking approval to transform the former Honeysuckle Garden and Midas site on Military Road into a 100-apartment mixed-use development.

The SSDA, lodged with investment partner Phoenix Property Investors, proposes around $230 million worth of new housing on the prominent <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/494-516-military-road-mosman-nsw-2088">494-516 Military Road</a> site.

The proposal comes as Mosman Council continues to progress its recently endorsed Masterplan, which identifies the precinct for increased housing density while maintaining the suburb's established character.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the development would comprise 100 apartments above ground-floor retail, with a rooftop wellness precinct including a gym, sauna, entertaining areas and landscaped communal spaces.

Rather than pushing to the full 12-storey height identified in Council's Masterplan, the proposal ranges between five and nine storeys, stepping down towards Hale Road. A tenth level would accommodate resident amenities rather than additional apartments.

The project has been designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and young professionals through to families and local downsizers looking to remain on the Lower North Shore.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dada03f-5b4c-43ba-ba62-2868add31440" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.57.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7LBy0B.Jo8_iWAFJsClcV7Q3UnXrv49r" />

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock.

"The apartments have been designed as genuine long-term homes, with efficient floorplans that maximise usable living areas, generous storage, natural light and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces," Brown says."

"We've focused on creating homes for a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and growing families through to downsizers who want to remain in Mosman."

The rooftop wellness offering forms a key part of the proposal, with residents set to have access to a gym, sauna, outdoor entertaining spaces, communal dining areas, landscaped gardens and a multi-use recreation court overlooking Sydney Harbour.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d37c2d6b-583a-4a0f-b7a9-9f46b893d2f4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.58.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=FPoa5FCm2RtzjhAh2w5FTWJbV6GHfY8D" />

DKO drew heavily on the site's natural and cultural history, undertaking a Connecting with Country process with local Aboriginal Elders to inform the architectural and landscape design.

Senior Associate Matthew Ritchard said the design sought to create a building that responded to both the site's landscape and its cultural significance.

"The architectural language of the project is a deep expression of Connecting with Country, where the materiality and colour palette serve as a bridge between the site's geological history and its future as a residential sanctuary."

The proposal also retains the site's established blue gum tree as the centrepiece of the communal landscaped gardens, while introducing activated retail fronting Military Road to strengthen the connection between Mosman and Cremorne villages.

If approved, the project would deliver 100 new homes within walking distance of shops, public transport, schools and local amenities, adding to the limited pipeline of new apartments on the Lower North Shore.

<h2>Project Snapshot</h2>

Project: Honeysuckle Garden Redevelopment

Address: 494-516 Military Road, Mosman

Developer: Abadeen and Phoenix Property Investors

Architect: DKO Architecture

Lead Architect: Matthew Ritchard

Value: $230 million

Residences: 100 apartments

Key features:

<ul>
	<li>
	Ground-floor retail
	</li>
	<li>
	Rooftop wellness precinct
	</li>
	<li>
	Gym and sauna
	</li>
	<li>
	Outdoor entertaining and BBQ areas
	</li>
	<li>
	Landscaped communal gardens
	</li>
	<li>
	Multi-use recreation court
	</li>
	<li>
	Retained mature blue gum tree
	</li>
	<li>
	Connecting with Country design process
	</li>
	<li>
	Harbour, CBD and Balmoral views from upper-level apartments
	</li>
</ul>

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock

First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman

The wave of apartment proposals sweeping through Mosman shows no signs of slowing, with another major residential development lodged through the NSW Government's State Significant Development pathway.

Developer First Quadrant Properties, which recently completed Willoughby Grounds and has several projects in planning across the North Shore, has unveiled plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/cove-on-ourimbah-40-56-ourimbah-road-mosman-nsw-2088">Cove on Ourimbah</a>, a 63-apartment development on Ourimbah Road, adding to the growing pipeline of projects reshaping one of Sydney's most tightly held harbour suburbs.

The proposal would consolidate nine properties at 40-56 Ourimbah Road into a part eight, part nine-storey apartment building, continuing the momentum created by the NSW Government's accelerated planning pathways that have seen several significant developments emerge across Mosman over the past 12 months.

Designed by Doroch Architects, the project would deliver 63 apartments, resident wellness facilities including a gym, pool and sauna, landscaped communal spaces and basement parking, while using recessed upper levels, generous setbacks and extensive planting to reduce the perceived scale of the building.

<img alt="First look: First Quadrant Properties eyes nine-storey Mosman apartment project under State Significant pathway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32ee68e4-141e-4a10-8f83-48e961a5e71e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ourimbah%20Road%2C%20Mosman%20a.png?VersionId=CUeILFc6APlwXPc.iplElbxHvREKwjig" />

Doroch Architects said the building had been designed to reinforce Mosman's established character.

"The building's aesthetic is grounded in the existing residential character of Ourimbah Road and the broader Mosman context," the architect noted in the planning documents submitted to the NSW Government.

The design adopts a contemporary material palette of natural stone, textured concrete and brown concave metal cladding, complemented by integrated planters and deep balconies. The podium incorporates softened curved concrete forms, while increased setbacks have been provided adjacent to the heritage-listed property at 60 Ourimbah Road to create a more sympathetic transition.

The site sits around 330 metres from Mosman Town Centre, placing it within the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy area, where increased residential density is being encouraged close to shops, transport and services.

The proposal follows a string of major apartment projects lodged or declared State Significant in Mosman in recent months, including Abadeen's 100-apartment Honeysuckle Garden redevelopment on Military Road and several other developments across Awaba Street, Redan Street and Muston Street from the likes of Time &amp; Place, HELM and Prosker Property.

&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Time &amp; Place to take on Mosman apartment market</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-abadeen-plans-100-apartments-on-former-honeysuckle-garden-site-in-mosman">First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Another major apartment proposal signals Mosman's development boom

Real Estate Market

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Sydney’s real estate prices were the sturdiest in March, with prices in most capital cities subdued and heading towards decline, according to the latest quarterly analysis from Domain.
According to the report, Sydney house prices rose 13.1%, to $1,168,806, in the year ending March 2020. 
There was 2.6% in the March quarter.
<div data-sticky-id="0">Melbourne’s median house price is expected to fall after it reached a record high of $918,350 in the March quarter.</div>
<div data-sticky-id="0"> </div>
<div data-sticky-id="0">Sydney, Hobart and Melbourne saw the largest price increases for the March quarter, the Domain House Price Report calculated. </div>
<div data-sticky-id="0">
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<div id="adspot-1x1-pos-5" data-google-query-id="CMLesM-8_egCFUyDcAodNrYAQA">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/31694718/domain.com.au/news/national_3__container__"><iframe title="3rd party ad content" name="google_ads_iframe_/31694718/domain.com.au/news/national_3" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="1" height="1" data-google-container-id="4" data-integralas-id-a73f0d96-8a5a-4636-76da-5b5e87cd399b="" data-load-complete="true"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>Darwin, Canberra and Brisbane recorded house price gains between 0.3 and 1.2 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Prices in Perth and Adelaide were flat.</div>
</div>
The unravelling coronavirus crisis, however, has taken its toll on the market, with a shutdown of non-essential services, and a temporary ban on onsite auctions and open inspections, taking effect in late March and early April.
The number of homes on the market fell.
Between March 23 and April 10 new sale listings dropped 12 per cent compared to the same period last year, Domain’s figures show.
More than 14 per cent of vendors have since revised their price expectations, reducing them by an average of 4.36%.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/23/house%20prices.png" alt="">
In the March quarter Sydney maintained its status as Australia's most expensive capital city for residential real estate, with a median house price of $1,168,806 and a median unit price of $744,672.
Melbourne and Canberra rounded out the top three - Melbourne holding a median house price of $918,350 and a median unit price of $554,306, and Canberra holding a median house price of $779,050 and a median unit price of $441,055.
Canberra, however, saw significantly weaker growth quarter-on-quarter than Sydney or Melbourne. The nation's capital saw house prices grow just 0.3% (compared to Sydney's 2.6% Melbourne's 2%), and saw unit prices drop a substantial 5.2% (compared to a growth of 2.7% in Sydney and a 0.4% contraction in Melbourne).
In Darwin house prices grew by a respectable 1.2%, however the value of units plummeted by  8.1% - The highest margin in the nation.
The drop is part of a massive 16.2% year-on-year nosedive in Darwin's unit market.
Sydney saw the most quarterly grows in houses at 2.6%, however Adelaide topped the list for units with a growth of 4.2%.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/23/unit%20prices.png" alt="">
In Domain’s February forecast for the year ahead, a combined average growth of 8% was predicted for houses in Australian capital cities during 2020, with a further 5-7% growth projected in 2021.
Sydney topped this list, with a projected 10% growth in 2020 (and 6-8% in 2021), while Hobart and Adelaide were at the bottom of the list with a projected growth of just 3% in 2020 (and 2-4% in 2021).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/23/feb%20forcast%20house.png" alt="">
For units, a combined average growth of 6% was predicted across Australian capital cities during 2020, with a further 3-5% growth projected for 2021.
Sydney had the highest projected growth in 2020, at 8% (with 3-5% predicted for 2021).
Hobart saw the least expected growth, at just 2% (with 1-3% predicted for 2021).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/23/feb%20forcast%20unit.png" alt="">
The rapid development of the coronavirus and the ensuing economic fallout, however, have thrown these projections into uncertainty. 
Dr Nicola Powell, the senior research analyst at Domain, said that the pandemic was weighing heavily on sellers’ minds.
“Those who have to sell are editing their price to achieve the timely sale in fear of what could be ahead economically,” Dr Powell told Domain.
“The recovery was well on its way before coronavirus. Houses had regained the majority of the $165,000 loss in the downturn. Units had regained about $62,000 of the $103,000 lost in the downturn.
“When the market is moving and moving rapidly, those asking prices need to meet the market. We’ve seen the market flip in March.
“It’s almost a given we’re going to see fewer transactions. The fact we’ve got wage subsidies, mortgage repayment holidays and low interest rates will help support prices.”
Dr Powell said it was unclear how far prices would drop in months to come.
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

Real estate recovery stopped in its tracks amid March shutdown; Domain quarterly analysis

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Remuneration in the property industry has grown better than the general workforce, according to a recent report by remuneration consultant Avdiev.
The latest Avdiev Remuneration Report 2017 is a product of a formal Australia-wide survey of property, investment, development and construction employers and design and building consulting companies, finds that junior staff have been the winners in the pay stakes again.
It also reflects improving business conditions. There has been a significant expansion of pay rise ranges, with salary rises in the Property Investment and Funds Management market sector ranging from 1.8% to 12% and 1.5% to 16% in Property Development. Even the Retail sector, enduring challenging times, had to give rises to its productive and successful staff, especially in leasing.
This is in contrast with the 1.8% increase for the year to May 2017 (ABS) for the general workforce and a CPI uplift of 1.9% to June 2017.
“You can’t keep a busy property industry down” said Rita Avdiev, managing director of The Avdiev Group, remuneration consultants.  
“It’s getting better all the time, but good times bring with them talent shortages, headhunter attacks on desirable recruits with outrageous offers to move. Both old and young are targets. Loyalty flies out the window when you’ve been left behind and a 20% pay rise is on offer with a rival.”
The benign business conditions are industry wide. Only 3% of subscribers reveal doing very badly, and only 5% worse than last year. 
The others report ongoing stable business conditions doing well.
The median annual pay rises have varied since last year by seniority of staff. 
Juniors are ahead, being tech savvy, energetic, open to new ideas, systems and processes.
Following the push for gender equity in the industry women are at last being recognized as valuable employees with contributions and skills to match and complement their team members. There is a shortage of women recruits, and companies are going to great lengths to get them on board. But gender pay equity and early promotion are still scarce.
“What comes next?” asks Rita Avdiev. Every year the forecast for the next pay review remains modest and subdued.
But reality bites with the prospect of team dislocation and continuity disruption. NSW building and construction staff are prime targets. “Sourcing young talent from competitors has become a blood sport” she says. 
“When you are faced with making counter offers to staff being lured away by headhunters with promises of mega rises in salaries and ready or not promotions, the threat loosens purse strings and the pay goes up.” 
All sectors are targeted. Companies with foresight have already raised salaries and bonded their staff into competent and productive teams where the sense of achievement is a significant part of the reward.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Property industry remuneration grew at strong pace: Avdiev

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GUEST OBSERVER
Office occupiers and their employees have a wide variety of locations to choose from.
We examine 12 of the most important real estate markets in the region. Discover the performance and prospects for the big ‘Global Powerhouses’ like London and Paris, fast-growing ‘Urban Accelerators’ like Stockholm, Berlin and Dublin, through to small but high profile ‘Contenders’ like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Warsaw.
KEY FINDINGS
European cities have many of the characteristics of highly successful world cities that make them very attractive to workers looking for ‘urban buzz’ and a high quality city lifestyle. Their authentic environments, varied cultural experience and high quality of living makes the European cities in this study attractive not only to employees but also to employers.
New digital industries disrupt working practices and are growing at a faster rate than conventional finance and business services. Companies are searching globally for the Human Resources they need to win in this environment. This means that companies’ location choices will increasingly be made by the HR rather than premises departments. The questions they will ask are “which cities will help attract human capital?” rather than “where will property costs help save financial capital?”
Europe does contain some of the world’s global powerhouses: the top ranking cities which continue to attract people as well as global investment. Often, they act as hubs to wider, dispersed city networks. They are unlikely to lose this status in the foreseeable future and are adapting well to the digital age. London, Paris and Madrid now employ more people in their information and communication sectors than in their financial and insurance sectors.
London and Paris are the two most global cities in Europe and accommodation costs in these cities reflect that success. Large workforces result in high demand for space in the city which pushes up rents and land values in old cities where space is limited.
There is a big fall-off in annual accommodation costs per worker to the next tier of European cities. Milan, Dublin, Amsterdam, Moscow and Brussels are around half the cost of London at present.
The cheapest cities in Europe in which to accommodate staff are Warsaw, Berlin. Frankfurt, Madrid and Stockholm. Warsaw is just over a quarter of the cost of London.
In some cities, this expense ranking is likely to change. Workspace rents are forecast to rise over the next year in Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris, Madrid, Milan and Stockholm. They are broadly stable in Brussels, Frankfurt, London and Warsaw, giving occupiers more certainty on real estate costs.
Where real estate costs are scrutinised, it is becoming as important to look at residential affordability as well as commercial property costs. Young creative workers are increasingly attracted to good, small cities offering cheaper accommodation as they are priced out of the big global financial centres. This is part of the reason why some very small European cities like Berlin, Dublin and Amsterdam are hugely successful and punching above their weight economically. Their worldwide fame belies their size.
Brexit has raised questions on London’s future as a financial centre and speculation is rife as to which European city might win London’s business. The evidence of this report suggests that no single city will take London’s crown but rather the EU passporting functions of many institutions will be dispersed throughout Europe to a variety of cities for different reasons.
Some small cities, especially those in which it is easy for multinationals to do business, those with favourable tax regimes and strong English language capabilities could do well in attracting global companies but few of these cities have the stock capacity to accommodate many large relocations from London – or elsewhere, especially in the short term. Some cities which larger levels of office supply may find their corporate and personal tax regimes discourage some companies.
Taking a combination of measures into account, London still stands out as the most attractive European city for the finance sector. We think it will continue to serve as a global finance centre but in partnership with some smaller European cities for passporting functions.
Overall, there are good reasons to expect further growth in both the economies and real estate markets of many European cities. Often the strength of the city will buck the trend of the country in which it sits so national comparisons are less useful than city comparisons.
The strength of occupier markets should continue to attract global investment in many European cities and to start attracting it in others. The attractiveness of these cities to investors is important for occupiers in the long run as it will determine whether they can find sufficient workspace of the right type in the right place and whether housing is affordable for their key workers.
The economic and demographic strength of most of the European cities in this report is such that both occupier and investor demand should be assured.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/16/pages-4-5-figure11.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/16/pages-4-5-figure11.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/16/pages-4-5-figure11.png" width="600" height="315"></a>
Source: Savills World Research
 
Yolande Barnes is director, World Research at Savills and can be contacted <a href="https://www.savills.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Euro cities punching above their weight economically: Yolande Barnes

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China became the Asia Pacific region’s largest investment market for income-earning real estate for the first time in 2016.
Analysis by Real Capital Analytics (RCA) showed that an increasing number of transactions in its second tier cities, plus strong inflows from regional and global investors, powered China to the top spot over Japan and Australia by transaction volumes.
A total of US$14.0 billion (RMB 95.2 billion) in value of real estate, excluding development sites, changed hands in China in the fourth quarter, RCA data revealed.
This was a 32% increase from the same period a year earlier and lifted total investment value for all of 2016 in China by 10% to US$36.5 billion (RMB 243.3 billion).
Deals in existing properties more than doubled in Chongqing, Tianjin and Hangzhou, propelling these three cities into Asia Pacific’s 25 top investment destinations, some for the first time.
Petra Blazkova, RCA’s Senior Director of Analytics for Asia Pacific, said: “This is a watershed moment for China’s commercial real estate market, heralding the next phase of its transformation into one of the world’s major destinations for global property investors.
While development of new sites remains a prominent feature of its property market, higher deal volumes for standing assets in cities other than Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen are a sign of the growing maturity and depth of China’s investment market.”
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-08%20at%208.58.27%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-08%20at%208.58.27%20am.jpg" alt="">
China also claimed another record first in 2016 as Asia Pacific’s top destination for foreign investors, who completed US$10.2 billion (RMB 68.0 billion) of property deals there last year.
The total value of transactions by foreign investors has tripled since the 2009 Global Financial Crisis.
The largest foreign investment in China in 2016 was the US$3.0 billion (RMB 20.0 billion) sale of Shanghai Century Link to ARA Asset Management.
In Hong Kong, a market highly influenced by Mainland Chinese investments, overall investment volumes reached US$13.5 billion (HKD 105.2 billion) in 2016, a 15% increase year-on-year (YoY).
Notable transactions that drove this increase included the sale of Mass Mutual Tower and Dah Sing Financial Centre, both for over US$1.0 billion.
In spite of the stronger performance by China and most other Asian markets in 2016, overall investment in the Asia Pacific region fell by 14% YoY to US$132.5 billion on the weakness of the Japanese and Australian markets.
Overall investment volumes in Japan stood at US$29.0 billion (JPY 3.2 trillion) for 2016, a decline of 37% YoY that meant it slipped into second place behind China for the first time.
Third-ranked Australia suffered a drop of 32% YoY in the value of completed transactions to US$22.8 billion (AUD 30.6 billion) last year.
RCA’s analysis showed that listed real estate investment trusts (REITs), a traditional driver of transactions in these two markets, slowed their investments significantly after several years of domestic domination due to their access to cheaper capital.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-08%20at%208.58.54%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-08%20at%208.58.54%20am.jpg" alt="">
RCA’s Blazkova commented: “Pricing in both Japan and Australia seems sharp by historical comparison causing these two markets to slow considerably.
A heavy weight of capital continues to search for opportunities, with a strong focus on the safest and largest markets and a buy-and-hold attitude. This combination has created a highly competitive environment for the best assets.”
Barring Japan and Australia, a number of key markets in the region continued to do well.
One such bright spot was South Korea, where investment volumes in the country rose 15% YoY to US$12.0 billion (KRW 13.7 trillion), driven by healthy domestic and foreign demand.
Last year was also the second strongest year for cross-border investment in South Korea recorded by RCA, with the most notable deal being the purchase of Seoul IFC by Brookfield Asset Management in a joint venture with China Investment Corporation (CIC) for US$2.2 billion (KRW 2.5 trillion).
Singapore also had a strong showing in 2016, posting a 38% year-on-year increase in investment volumes last year to US$8.0 billion (SGD 11.0 billion).
This was mainly due to the US$2.6 billion (SGD 3.4 billion) sale of Asia Square Tower 1.
The transaction boosted confidence, as investors returned to the market in the fourth quarter of 2016 in anticipation of rental growth and rising property values.
Blazkova from RCA said: “There has been much talk about investors turning to smaller markets in Asia Pacific as a source of value-for-money opportunities.
Our analysis suggests, however, that for so-called frontier markets like the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, there is still a stand-off in pricing expectations that is preventing investment from really taking off.”
The Asia Pacific Capital Trends report also revealed:
<ul>
<li>The largest single transaction in 2016 was the US$3.0 billion (RMB 20.0 billion) purchase of Shanghai Century Link in China by ARA Asset Management.  </li>
<li>A new peak was reached in terms of the number of megadeals (over US$1.0 billion) done in Asia Pacific last year at 51, with the continued deployment and abundance of capital.  </li>
<li>In terms of market activity by cities, Seoul was the biggest surprise of 2016, having jumped from 10th position in 2015 to 4th last year on record high investment activity, especially in the office and hotel sectors.</li>
</ul>
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China leapfrogs Japan and Australia to become APAC’s largest commercial real estate investment market

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Online agency iBuyNew has acquired Melbourne-based property research advisers Nyko Property. 
IBuyNew ‘s operator, ASX-listed Disruptive Investment Group Limited (DVI), said Nyko, which was established in 2008, will complement IBN’s online platform and operational infrastructure. 
Mark Mendel, chief executive officer iBuyNew said the acquisition of Nyko positions the business to business (B2B) offering with wider breadth through established partners, well-developed systems and processes.
“The Nyko business is very complimentary to IBN and will play a key role in the success of our corporate partnerships network channels," he said. 
Bill Nikolouzakis, Nyko founder and managing director, will remain with Nyko as director of corporate partnerships. He said the acquisition provides Nyko with additional resources, exposure and technology to rapidly scale and enter new markets previously not available.
"The consolidation of both businesses will allow us to maximise the benefits and create greater value to our partners in a way not available to us otherwise," he said.
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iBuyNew expands with Nyko Property acquistion

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/64794/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
There is much debate about which groups of people have played the greatest role in creating the increasingly unaffordable housing markets in Australian cities. Baby boomers and foreign investors are two popular targets.
But in my new book, The Geopolitics of Real Estate, I show it is a mistake to blame particular domestic or foreign investor groups for affordability problems over a short timeline.
One way to think about housing affordability is to reverse-engineer the problem back to the birth of Australia’s property-owning democracy. History shows the problem was created in five key steps.
Step 1: Aboriginal peoples were dispossessed of their land
When you open up the timeline for an analysis of housing affordability, the question quickly becomes: whose land are domestic and foreign real estate investors trading?
Go back a couple of centuries and you arrive at what RMIT academic Libby Porter calls the original dispossession: the point when the land was stolen from Aboriginal peoples.
But Aboriginal land dispossession is not only a series of historical events that occurred in the past. Such acts established the social and legal conditions that allow land and real estate to be traded today.
This throws statements by domestic real estate investors about invading foreigners into sharp relief.
Step 2: foreigners and capital were moved onto the land
The early British colonial settlements set trade and migration as their objectives.
In the early 19th century, Edward Wakefield, a leading force in South Australia’s colonisation, argued land should be sold rather than given away. This would incentivise the new landowners to pay the emigration costs associated with transporting immigrants to supply labour for the colony.
Wakefield argued the immigrants would sell their labour and, with their incomes, would buy land. He called this systematic colonisation, and later championed these ideas in New Zealand and Canada.
These ideas about globalising the scale at which foreigners could be moved through local colonial land opened up new ways of thinking about the global market for land and sources of labour.
Contemporary governments continue to use the movement of people and capital through their land and real estate markets to underwrite their economies and labour markets.
Step 3: a property-owning democracy was built
A property-owning democracy is a society in which between 65% and 85% of households own or are purchasing the home they live in.
After the second world war the Australian government set about building a property-owning democracy. To build it required two interrelated tasks.
<ul>
<li>The first involved claiming, measuring, quantifying and distributing the land ready for the sale of real estate.</li>
<li>The second involved creating a way of thinking about real estate that would function within the property-owning democracy.</li>
</ul>
After the war the government increasingly regulated the movement of people and their money across Australian borders. It introduced a raft of economic and social policies that were firmly aimed at shaping how Australians thought about real estate – the Great Australian Dream.
Post-war housing and economic policies, ideas about nationhood and citizenship, and the responsibility to be a suburban consumer of a home and household goods were worked deeply into the minds of baby boomers.
Step 4: land and real estate was constituted as private property
What emerged in the second half of the 20th century was a suite of crises in land and real estate.
Aboriginal land rights rose to the surface as the settler politics of claiming and defending the land and real estate was called into question.
As the populations grew and the effects of the property-owning democracy took hold in major Australian cities, a crisis in housing affordability emerged.
When compared with the experience of their parents, by the early 21st century it was harder for the children of the baby boomers to buy into urban real estate markets. As the baby boomers were busy buying real estate in the second half of the 20th century, a land revolution was under way in China.
The collectivisation of land had effectively removed the land from the private property market in China in the mid-20th century. It was radically reinserted a few decades later.
The geopolitical rise of China at the end of the 20th century changed the way people and money circulated around the world.
Step 5: global movements of people and capital followed the geopolitics
Strong private property land and real estate ideals emerged from the other side of the Cultural Revolution. The commodification of land and real estate became a key tactic for building wealth in China.
The surplus Chinese capital broke free of the national border by the end of the century. The newly enfranchised middle class and super-rich Chinese were looking for foreign real estate opportunities.
At the turn of the century, the baby boomer real estate dream was becoming harder to realise for their children. But the Chinese local and foreign real estate dreams were still in their infancy.
The history of foreign investment in land and real estate shows the global movement of people and capital is closely linked to the prevailing geopolitics.
Dallas Rogers is lecturer in Urban Studies, Western Sydney University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dallas-rogers-5269" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Property 101: Australia’s housing affordability problem explained in five historical steps

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SPONSORED POST
Australians have always had an affinity with property ownership and investment, and when you look at the statistics, it’s not hard to see why.
<a href="/images/2016/09/14/10yearreal%201%201.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/09/14/10yearreal%201%201.png" alt="">
These statistics support the common marketing thread we see in the media around the positives of property investment.  But as an existing property investor the real challenge lies in diversification. 
Diversification in property has traditionally been quite challenging. This isn’t simply due to the outlay of capital needed per purchase, it takes time, the need for investigation, viewings, auctions and then post purchase, there’s the upkeep, maintenance and management of the asset to factor in.
Obviously you can avoid most of this with a REIT or other managed fund structure but with those options you tend to sacrifice transparency and control.
Suffice to say property investment can be frustrating to say the very least. How much easier would it be to have access to an online platform that listed a variety of properties, across different states that you could easily flick through and buy a share in when it suited you?
And it wouldn’t stop there, once purchased your shares would offer monthly returns from any net rental income and regular valuations that would allow you to monitor your capital returns performance.
Undoubtedly, access and transparency would make property investment diversification far easier for both sophisticated and first time investors. And the good news is there is now a solution that offers both of these, it’s called BRICKX.
<a href="https://www.brickx.com/how-it-works?utm_source=propertyobserver&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_term=brickxoffers&amp;utm_content=article&amp;utm_campaign=launch" target="_blank">BRICKX offers</a> every Australian access to residential property for under $100. As a BRICKX investor you can benefit from monthly rental income and/or capital returns of your investment properties without being concerned with the hassle of leasing and managing them.
Investors also have access to regular valuation updates and to each property’s historical and suburb data, and investment cases.
Learn more about BRICKX at <a href="https://www.brickx.com/how-it-works?utm_source=propertyobserver&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_term=learnmore&amp;utm_content=article&amp;utm_campaign=launch" target="_blank">www.brickx.com</a>.
BRICKX products are issued by Theta Asset Management Limited (AFSL 230920). You should read the product disclosure statement at <a href="https://www.brickx.com/how-it-works?utm_source=propertyobserver&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_term=disclaimer&amp;utm_content=article&amp;utm_campaign=launch" target="_blank">www.brickx.com</a> and consider whether BRICKX is right for you.  
 
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Frustrated in your hunt for your next property investment?

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GUEST OBSERVER
There is a simplistic thought pattern that rising property markets are good and falling markets are bad.
Supporting the point, transaction volumes historically increase in rising markets and decrease in falling markets. These fluctuations in volumes are sentiment based as much as they are practical decisions by the respective buyers and sellers. Rising markets feel good whilst falling markets don’t. Whilst there may be more winners in a rising market and vice versa, it is not a universal principal. 
When you understand how a rising market can actually work against your best interests and a falling market can be used to your advantage, the property market takes on a whole new persona.
Depending on what your goal and objective for trading real estate is, you will be better positioned to act decisively or remain patient when you are conscious of the winners and losers in all market conditions.
First homebuyers – rising and/or fully priced markets benefit those at the top and disadvantage those look to enter the market. First home buyers find the level of entry difficult in booming markets and are best served looking to enter the market when real estate is flat. Many people think that first home buyers are permanently locked out of the market which is an overstatement. There is no doubt that current conditions are difficult in Sydney for them, but an opportune time will come again. Indeed it was first home buyers that created the post GFC boom as they took advantage of declining prices (and Government grants). First home buyers who were brave enough to venture into the market in 2008 are now on the property ladder and climbing. 
Upgraders – if you own a property and intend to sell it to purchase another one in the same market, you are more likely to sell in a rising market. But you are quite possibly better off upgrading in a falling market. If you sell a $1 million home and intend on upgrading to a $2 million home, a 10% rise in the market will provide an extra $100,000 on the sale but take $200,000 more on the purchase.  Conversely, a 10% market decline on the same transaction wipes $100,000 off the sale but a whopping $200,000 off the purchase. 
When you consider that a lot of fees and services such as stamp duty (&amp; agent’s fees) are based on percentages, the lower the price the better when upgrading.
Transitioning into a different market – if you are selling out of a booming Sydney market to buy into a sleepy sea side village with flat to declining property prices, you win on both sides of the ledger. You sell high and buy low. The Perth market for example is severely depressed at the moment. If you were to sell in Perth and move into Sydney or Melbourne, you will sell low and buy high. As important as it is to sell at the right time, if you are transitioning into a different market, picking the right time to buy is equally important.
Negative geared investors – creating a deliberate weekly loss to gain some tax advantages may seem like a sound and plausible strategy whilst prices are rising. When prices are flat or declining, the investor loses twice – a weekly loss plus declining asset value. Investors who are negatively geared need a market that rises faster than the accumulated losses through the negative gearing, to stay in front on the investment. Sharing a profit with the tax man is preferable to keeping a loss to yourself. Many property investors have lost sight of this one. If you get yourself into a position where you are positively geared, capital growth is yours to keep rather than compensation for carrying a weekly loss over a number of years.
Investors – it is possible for investors to benefit in both flat markets and booming markets. The key is to transact accordingly. There are two types of investors, incoming and outgoing. Savvy investors know there is a right time to enter a property market and equally an appropriate time to exit. 
A crude yet timeless real estate cliché such as ‘when rates are high it’s time to buy and when rates are low it’s time to go’ are worth keeping in mind. This should not be your sole guiding light but it is worth keeping in mind. Sure, every expert says ‘sell high, buy low’ but how many actually act on this advice? Prices are currently high in Sydney and low in Perth. How many investors are brave enough to buy in Perth at present? Yet in 2011/12 when interest rates were much higher and the mining boom was ticking along, Perth was fully priced and Sydney was in a severe lull. Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but so is research coupled with long term planning. 
Last time sellers – if first home buyers are the losers of a boom, then last time sellers are the recipients and vice versa in both instances. From a demographic perspective, there are a lot of last time sellers coming through the system in the next 15 years as baby boomers sell down their assets to fund their retirement. The family home will be increasingly sold down by baby boomers whom are looking to unlock equity and move into smaller more manageable properties in lifestyle locations. 
Baby boomers in Perth feel hard done by given the market has crashed there whilst last time sellers in Sydney feel as though they have won lotto. Particularly if they selling up to leave town. Just as first home buyers could be well advised to hold off on purchasing at present, last time sellers should give considered thought to exiting the market whilst times are good. We may not be in the midst of a full boom as we were in 2015, but is anyone going to really suggesting that house prices are currently anything but high?
Knowing what you now know, you may decide to act ahead of time or delay transacting until the market environment suits your agenda. There are winners and losers in all markets. If you plan intelligently and sensibly, you increase the chances of being on the right side of the ledger.
Peter O’Malley is author of Real Estate Uncovered and can be contacted <a href="https://realestateuncovered.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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